In August 1909, Americans went wild for the brand-new Lincoln penny, the first U.S. coin to bear the likeness of a president. Teddy Roosevelt was behind the change from the old “Indian Head” penny to the Lincoln cent. Roosevelt, a great admirer of Lincoln, wanted to honor the sixteenth president to commemorate the centennial of his birth. Since that time, the U.S. Mint has placed images of presidents and other famous Americans on coins and bills.